The Bruins have been linked to another scorer, and this one comes with a hefty price tag.
According to Elliotte Friedman on the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Boston has gone beyond simply checking in on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko.
“I heard Boston made an offer at one point.”
That’s the key line, but it leaves plenty unsaid. Friedman did not say when the offer was made or what the Bruins put on the table, and that timing matters.
If it came before Boston acquired JJ Peterka, the conversation makes a lot more sense. The Bruins gave up two first-round picks for Peterka, so an offer for Marchenko after that move would raise the obvious question of what else Boston could have reasonably included.
Marchenko, a three-time 20-goal scorer, is not the kind of player Columbus is likely to move lightly. The Blue Jackets have made it clear they are not rebuilding, which makes the idea of trading away a 30-goal scorer for draft capital and prospects a poor fit with where they say they want to be.
That leaves Boston with a difficult task if it wants to keep pushing here. The Bruins need more scoring behind David Pastrnak, but Columbus would want something that helps it stay competitive.
Pavel Zacha would be one possibility on the other side. Mittelstadt might be the most interesting piece Boston could offer as something close to a replacement for Marchenko, though even that would not be enough by itself.
For now, this sits firmly in the category of possibility rather than certainty. Still, Friedman’s report suggests the Bruins have already done more than just poke around. And with Columbus now having signed Adam Fantilli, there may be a real path toward renewed trade talks if the Blue Jackets decide they want to move Marchenko and get a deal done.
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